Railway traffic controlling apparatus



A ril 8,1941. E. M. ALLEN ET AL RAILWAY TRAFFIC CONTROLLING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 10, 19-10 TIZ'EIR ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 8, 1941 RAILWAY TRAFFIC CONTROLLING APPARAT Earl M. Allen, Swissvale, and Henry S. Young, Wilkinsburg, Pa., assignors to The Union Switch & Signal Company, Swissvale, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application February 10, 1940, Serial No. 318,302

10 Claims.

Our invention relates to railway traffic controlling apparatus, and particularly to apparatus employing for the control of switches and signals mechanically interlocked levers provided with electric locks which must be energized upon the completion of the functions controlled by the 1evers before the levers can be operated to their full normal or full reverse positions so as to release the mechanical locking between these levers and associated levers which control conflicting functions. Apparatus of this type utilizing the so called dynamic indication principle is well known; in such apparatus the indication current for energizing the lever lock upon the completion of the function controlled by the lever is supplied by the motor which completes this function acting as a generator due to the inertia of the motor armature. It sometimes becomes necessary or desirable, however, to employ a lever which has been designed for use in such apparatus to control a device, such, for example, as a switch and lock movement which is either not provided with an electric motor or is provided with a motor which is not designed to generate the necessary indication current, and one object of our present inventlon is to provide novel means for obtaining the required indication current under these conditions.

According to our invention, we obtain the nec- I essary indication current by storing energy in a reactance device such as a transformer at some point during the transit of the device controlled by the lever and then releasing the stored energy into the indication circuit when the device has completed its transit.

Other objects and characteristic features of our invention will become apparent as the description proceeds.

We shall describe one form of apparatus embodying our invention, and shall then point out the novel features thereof in claims.

The accompanying drawing is a diagrammatic view showing one form of apparatus embodying our invention.

Referring to the drawing, the reference character L designates an interlocking machine lever provided with a suitable handle I for facilitating its manual operation. The lever L may be used for controlling any suitable traffic controlling device, here shown for purposes of illustration as a railway switch S, and in actual practice the lever will be interlocked with other levers (not shown) of an interlocking machine in a manner to enforce a predetermined sequence of operation of the levers by suitable mechanical interlocking, which, being well known, in the art, has been omitted from the drawing. This mechanical interlocking is actuated by the lever L through the medium of a link 2, the upper end of which is provided with a roller engaging a cam slot 3, whereby movement of the lever L causes move ment of the link 2 and the parts of the mechanical interlocking connected thereto.

The lever L is supported by suitable guides 4 upon which a latch 5 is pivoted. This latch is so arranged that when its right-hand end is raised against the opposition of a spring 6, that end will cooperate with certain shoulders formed in the lower edge of the lever so as to limit the movement of the lever in certain positions Also pivoted to the guide 4 is an angle member forming a dog or latch l and a cam or tumbler 8. The dog I is arranged to catch under the adjacent end of the latch 5 and hold the latch in its upper locking position, while the cam 8 is arranged so as to engage the dog I and swing it into position to hold the latch 5 in its locked position, the cam 8 being urged toward the position shown in the drawing by a spring 9 and being provided with upstanding teeth which are arranged to be engaged by abutments or shoulders formed along the lower edge of the lever L to move the cam to swing the dog 1 into its locked position. The dog 1 is arranged to be tripped by a rod l 0 attached to the armature ll of an indication mechanism.

The indication mechanism comprises an indication magnet IM arranged above, and a safety magnet IS arranged below, the armature ll. Normally, the armature ll of the indication mechanism rests on the pole pieces of the safety magnet but is raised when indication current is supplied to the indication magnet so as to tip the dog I provided the lower or safety magnet IS is then deenergized. If, however, the magnet IS is energized when current is supplied to the magnet IM the pull of the lower magnet will predominate and will prevent the armature II from being attracted upwardly.

The lever L effects the control of the switch S by controlling the supply of current to normal and reverse contactors N and R which contactors, in turn, control the supply of current to an electric switch machine SM, the motor M of which is op contact springs l5, I6, I! and IS, the contact blocks I3 and I4 being insulated from each other and from the rod I2.

The lever L is movable between an innermost or normal position in which it is shown in the drawing and in which the contact blocks I3 and I4 make contact with the associated pairs of contact springs I5 and I1; an outermost or reverse position in which the contact blocks I3 and I4 make contact with the associated pairs of contact springs I6 and I8; a position near the inner or normal position in which the contact blocks l3 and I 4 make contact with the associated pairs of contact springs I5 and I! but in which the rod 2 has not been forced down by the cam slot 3 to its lowermost position, this position of the lever being conveniently termed the normal indication position; and a position near the outer or reverse position in which the contact blocks I3 and 14 make contact with the corresponding pairs of contact springs I6 and I8, but in which the rod 2 has not been forced to its uppermost position, this latter position being conveniently termed the reverse indication position.

Supported in any convenient manner adjacent to the lever L is an indication selector A comprising an armature 2I controlled by a normal magnet I9 and a reverse magnet 20. The parts are so arranged that the armature 2| will be moved to a normal position in which it is shown in full lines in the drawing or to a reverse position indicated in dotted lines in the drawing, according as the normal or reverse magnet is energized, and that the armature will remain in the position to which it was last moved even though the magnet which moved it there becomes deenergized until the other magnet subsequently becomes energized. When the armature occupies its normal position it bridges two contact fingers 22 and 23 to close a normal contact 222I23, and when it occupies a reverse position it bridges the fingers 22 and a finger 24 to close a reverse contact 22-2l--24.

The switch machine SM may be of any suitable or well known construction, such, for example, as that shown and described in Letters Patent of the United States, 'No. 2,183,164, granted to William C. McWhirter and Edwin G. Little on December 12, 1939, forRailway switch operating apparatus. For purposes of my present invention it is suflicient to point out that this switch machine is of the type in which the initial part of its operation from either extreme position to the other unlocks the switch points, the intermediate part reverses the switch points, and the final part relocks the switch points in their reverse positions, and which includes in addition to the previously referred to motor M, a circuit controller comprising a plurality of contacts '21, 28, 29, 30, 3I and 32. Contact 21 is arranged to become closed during a part of the switch machine stroke while the switch is being locked or unlocked in its reverse position but to be open when the switch "is fully locked in its reverse position; contact 23 is arranged to be closed at all times except when the switch is fully locked in its reverse position; contact 29 is arranged to be closed when and only when the switch is fully locked in its normal position; contact 30 is arranged to be closed when and only when the switch is fully locked'in its reverse position; contact 3| is arranged to be closed at all times except when the switch isfully locked in its normal position; and contact-p32 is arranged to be closed during a part of the switch machine stroke while the switch is being unlocked or locked in its normal position but to be open when the switch is fully locked in its normal position.

The normal and reverse contactors N and R may have any preferred construction, and as here shown are each slow releasing. Each contactor includes a pair of front contacts 33-33a and 34 which are closed only when the contactor is energized, and a back contact 3333b which is closed only when the contactor is fully deenergized.

I having a primary winding 35 and a secondary winding 36. As will be explained more fully hereinafter, the primary winding is intended to be supplied with energizing current during a portion of the transit of the switch S and then deenergized when the switch reaches its extreme position to generate in the secondary winding 36 a current impulse of the proper magnitude and direction to energize the indication magnet IM, and to increase the energy storing capacity of the transformer, a condenser 31 is preferably connected in multiple with the primary winding 35.

In explaining the operation of the apparatus as a whole, I will assume that the parts are all in their normal positions in which they are shown in the drawing, and that the operator wishing to reverse switch S, moves lever L toward its reverse position. Due to the previously described construction of the lever, it may be moved to its reverse indication position without opposition, but when the lever reaches this position the dog 5 engages one of the shoulders on the underside of the lever and acts to prevent movement of the lever beyond this position. In this position of the lever, however, the

- contacts I3--I6 and I4I8 both become closed,

and when contact I4-I8 becomes closed it completes a circuit for the reverse contactor R which circuit may be traced from battery B through the winding of the safety magnet IS, reverse magnet 20 of indication selector A, contact I4 I8 of lever L, a reverse control line wire RWI which extends from the lever to the switch machine, contact 28 of the switch machine circuit controller, a current limiting resistor 38, the winding of reverse contactor R, wire 39 and common wire 0 back to battery B. The current flowing in this circuit energizes the reverse contactor R, thereby causing it to open its back contact 33-331) and close its front contacts 3333a and 34. The current flowing in this circuit also causes the reverse magnet 20 of the indication selector to become energized and move the armature 2| to its reverse position in which the reverse contact 222I24 becomes closed. This operation of the indication selector, however, has no immediate effect on the remainder of the apparatus. When contact 3333a of reverse contactor R becomes closed, it completes a circuit for motor M, and current fi'ows from battery B through the winding of the safety magnet IS, reverse magnet 20 of indication selector A, contact I l-I8 of lever L, reverse control wire RWI, contact '28 of the switch machine circuit controller, front contact 3333a of reverse contactor R, the armature '25 of motor M, back contact 33--33b of normal contactor N, field winding 26 of motor M, wire 40, and common wire C back to battery B. The armature 25 and field winding 26 of motor M are connected in this circuit in such manner that when this circuit becomes closed the switch machine will operate in the direction to move the switch S to its reverse position. Near the end of the movement of the switch machine, circuit controller contact 21 becomes closed, and completes a circuit for the primary winding 35 of transformer T, which circuit may be traced from battery B through the winding of cation, nor will the current which flows in it pick the safety magnet IS of i the indication mechanism, reverse magnet 20 of indication selector A, contact I l-I8 of lever L, reverse control wire RWI, contact 21 of the switch machine circuit controller, wire 4|, primary winding 35 of transformer T in multiple :with condenser 31, and common wire 0 back to battery B. .The current flowing in this circuit causes a magnetic field to build up in the core of the transformer T and also causes condenser 31 to become charged to thereby store energy in the transformer. The building up of the field in the core of the transformer does not, however, elfect the remainder of the apparatus at this point since no circuit for the secondary winding is then closed. When the switch machine has substantially completed its locking stroke, circuit controller contacts 21 and 28 open in quick sequence and contact 30 becomes closed. The

opening of contact 28 interrupts the energizing circuit for both motor M and reverse contactor R, but contactor R, due to its slowreleasing characteristics does not immediately open its front contact 34. The opening of contact 21 causes the magnetic field which was previously set up in the core of transformer T to decay, and while this field is decaying, a current impulse is generated in secondary winding 36 which is supplied to the indication magnet IM of the indication mechanism over a circuit passing from secondary winding 36 through common wire C, the indication magnet IM of the indication mechanism, reverse contact 22--2I--24 of indication selector A, contact l3-l6 of lever L, a normal control line wire NWI which extends from the lever to the switch machine, circuit controller contact 30, and front contact 34 of reverse contactor R, back to secondary winding 36. The secondary winding 36 is connected in this circuit in such manner, and the parts are so proportioned, that this current impulse will energize indication magnet IM and will thus operate the dog 1 to the position in which it is clear of latch 5, thereby permitting the latch to move out of engagement with the lever, and hence permitting the operator to complete the movement of the lever to its reverse position. When the operator does this, the link 2 will be operated to its full reverse position which will unlock any of the other levers of the switch machine which are cross-locked with the lever L.

It will be noted that at the moment the indication circuit is operating, another path for the current generated in secondary winding 36 is closed, which latter path may be traced from secondary winding 36 through wire 39, the winding of the normal contactor N, a current limiting resistor 42 which is associated with this normal contactor, contacts 3! and 30 of the switch machine circuit controller, and front contact 34 of contactor R back to secondary winding 38. This path will in no way interfere with the indiup the normal contactor N by virtue of the fact that the accompanying electromotive force has a very low voltage and the winding of this contactor and the associated resistance are wound for high voltage operation.

When the switch machine has been moved to its reverse position in the manner just described and it is desired to restore it to its normal position, the operator will first move the lever to its normal indication position in which position the latch 5 will also engage one of the shoulders of the lever and prevent movement past this position. This movement of the lever will close contact [4-41, and will thus complete a circuit for the normal contactor N which may be traced from battery B through the winding of the safety magnet IS of the indication mechanism, reverse magnet 19 of the indication selector A, contact l4--I1 of lever L, normal control wire NWI, circuit controller contact 3| of switch machine SM, current limiting resistor 42, the winding of the normal contactor N, wire 39, and common wire 0' back to battery 13, The

completion of this circuit will energize the normal contactor N, and will also cause the current selector A to open its contact 222l--24 and close its contact 22-2l 23. The operation of the indication selector under these conditions, however, will have no immediate effect on the remainder of the apparatus. As soon as normal contactor N becomes closed it will close its front contact 33--33a and will thus complete a normal energizing circuit for motor M passing from battery B through the winding of the safety magnet IS of the indication mechanism, normal winding IQ of the indication selector A, contact I 4--l'l of lever L, normal control wire NWI, contact 3| of the switch machine circuit controller, front contact 33--33a of normal contactor N, armature 25 of motor M, back contact 33-332) of reverse contactor R, field winding 26 of motor M, wire 40, and common wire C back to battery B. The current in this circuit will flow through the motor armature in the opposite direction from that which flowed when the reverse contactor R was energized, and, the motor will therefore now operate to move the switch S toward its normal position. Before the switch machine has completed its movement contact 32 of the motor circuit controller will become closed and when this contact becomes closed another energizing circuit for the primary winding 35 of transformer T will become closed which latter circuit may be traced from battery B through the safety magnet IS of the indication mechanism, normal magnet I9 of the indication selector A, contact l4-l| of lever L, normal control wire NWI, circuit controller contact 32, the primary winding 35 of transformer T in multiple with condenser 31, and common wire C back to battery B. The current flowing in this circuit will cause a magnetic field to build up in the core of transformer T, and will also cause condenser 3'! to become charged to the potential of battery B to thereby store energy in the transformer. When the switch machine has substantially completed its looking stroke, contact 32 will open along with contact 3|, and contact 29 will become closed. When contact 31 becomes opened it will deenergize motor M and will also deenergize the normal contactor N, but the normal contactor due to its slow releasing characteristics will not immediately open its front contacts. The

opening of contact 32 will interrupt the supply of current to the primary winding 35 of transformer T, which will cause this winding to become deenergized and will also cause the condenser 31 to discharge, thereby generating a current impulse in the secondary winding 36 of transformer T. When this impulse is generated circuit controller contact 30 will be closed and current will then flow from secondary winding 36 through common wire C, the indication magnet IM of the indication mechanism, normal contact 222I-23 of the indication selector A, contact l3-i5 of lever L, reverse control wire RWI, circuit controller contact 29, and front contact 34 of normal contactor N back to secondary winding 36. The current flowing in this circuit will energize; the indication magnet and will thus cause it to trip the dog I. to thereby release the latch 5 and hence permit the lever to be moved to its full normalposition. When this has been .done all parts will then be restored to their normal positions in which they are shown in the drawing.

It will be noted that while the indication cir cuit just traced is operating another path for the indication current will be closed passing from secondary winding 36 through wire 39, the winding of the reverse contactor R, current limiting resistor 38, contacts 28 and 29 of switch circuit controller, and front contact 34 of, normal contactor N back to the secondary winding 36. This path will in no way interfere with the indication, nor will it cause the reverse contactor to pick up for the reason that the generated electromotive force has a low voltage and the reverse contactor and its associated resistor are both wound for high voltage operation.

Although we have herein shown and described only one form of railway switch operating apparatus embodying our invention, it is understood that various changes and modifications may be made therein within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and scope of our invention.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim is:

1. The combination with an electrically controlled mechanism operable between two positions, a manually operable lever for controlling said mechanism, latch means effective to restrict movement of said lever in a predetermined position, and indication mechanism effective when energized for releasing said latch means, of a reactance means, means responsive to movement of said mechanism toward one position for storing energy in said reactance means, and means effective when said mechanism is moved to said one position for releasing the energy stored in said reactance means and for supplying it to said indication mechanism to remove the restriction from said lever.

2. The combination with an electrically controlled mechanism operable between two positions, a manually operable lever movable between two positions past corresponding indication positions for controlling said mechanism, latch means effective to prevent movement of said lever past said indication positions, and indication mechanism effective when energized to operate said latch means to release said lever, of a reactance device, means for storing energy in said device near the end of the stroke of said mechanism in either direction, means for releasing the stored energy when the mechanism subsequently approaches either end of its stroke to generate a current impulse, and means for supplying said current impulse to said indication mechanism.

3. In railway traflic controlling apparatus comprising a switch machine, a lever controlling the operation of said switch machine, and an electrically operated indication mechanism controlling the operation of said lever, the combination with the aforementioned instrumentalities, of a static reactance device, means responsive to operation of said switch machine for supplying energy to said device and for subsequently releasing said energy to cause said device to generate a current impulse at the end of the stroke of said switch machine, and means for supplying said impulse tosaid indication mechanism.

4. In railway trafiic controlling apparatus comprising a trafiic controlling device, a lever controlling the operation of said device, and electrically operated means effective when deenergized for restricting movement of said lever, the combination with the aforementioned instrumentalities of a transformer having a primary and a secondary winding, means responsive to operation of said device for completing near the end of its stroke a circuit for the primary winding of said transformer including a source of direct current, and means effective at the end of the stroke of said device for interrupting said circuit and for completing a circuit for said electrically operated means including the secondary winding of said transformer, whereby the current impulse generated in said secondary winding by the decaying field of said transformer will energize said electrically operated means to remove the restriction upon the movement of said lever.

5. In railway trafiic controlling apparatus comprising a track switch, a switch machine for operating said switch, a lever for controlling the operation of the switch machine, and an indication mechanism for the lever operable to prevent movement of the leverfrom either extreme position toward the other past an associated indication position, the combination with the aforementioned instrumentalities of a transformer having a primary and a secondary winding, means for supplying direct current to the primary winding of said transformer for a brief interval near the ends of the stroke of said switch machine, and means for supplying the current impulse generated in the secondary winding of said transformer following the interruption of the supply of current to said primary winding to said indication mechanism to permit the lever to be moved past its indication position.

6. In railway trafiic controlling apparatus comprising a railway traific controlling device, a lever controlling the operation of said device, and indication mechanism associated with the lever and effective when deenergized to restrict movement of the lever, the combination with the aforementioned instrumentalities of a reactance device, means effective near the ends of the stroke of said traffic controlling devices for supplying current to said reactance device in a manner to generate a current impulse in said reactance device at the end of the stroke of said trafiic controlling device, and means for supplying said impulse to said indication mechanism.

'7. In combination, an electrically controlled mechanism movable between two extreme positions and provided with a circuit controller responsive to the position of the mechanism, a manually operable lever movable between two extreme positions and provided with indication mechanism effective to arrest movement of the lever from either extreme position toward the other in an indication position, means controlled by said lever for controlling said first mentioned mechanism, said means being actuated by movement of the lever from either extreme position to the corresponding indication position, energy storing means, means controlled by said circuit controller for supplying energy to said energy storing means during movement of said mechanism from either extreme position to the other and for releasing the energy when it reaches the opposite extreme position, and means controlled by said circuit controller for supplying the energy released from said energy storing means to said indication mechanism,

8. In combination, a track switch, electrically controlled mechanism for actuating and locking the switch including a circuit controller responsive to the position of the mechanism, a manually operable lever for controlling said mechanism provided with electric indication mechanism efiective when deenergized to prevent movement of the lever from either extreme position toward the other past an indication position, energy storing means, means controlled by said circuit controller for storing energy in said energy storing means as said switch actuating mechanism approaches the ends of its stroke in either direction, and other means controlled by said circuit controller for supplying energy to said indication mechanism 0 from said energy storing means when said switch actuating mechanism reaches the end of its stroke in either direction to energize said indication mechanism.

9. In railway trafiic controlling apparatus comprising a railway switch, a switch machine having normal and reverse extreme positions for moving said switch between its normal and reverse positions, a normal and a reverse contactor; a lever movable between a normal, a normal indication, a reverse indication and a reverse position; means for energizing said normal contactor when said lever is moved to its normal indication position and said switch occupies any position but its normal position, means for energizing said re verse contactor when said lever is moved to its reverse position and said switch occupies any position but its reverse position, means effective when said reverse contactor is energized for energizing said switch machine in the direction to move said switch to its reverse position, means eifective when said normal contactor is energized for energizing said switch machine in the direction to move said switch to its normal position, and indication mechanism effective when deenergized to prevent movement of said lever past its indication positions, the combination with the aforementioned instrumentalities of a reactance device, means controlled by said switch machine for generating a current impulse in said reactance device as said switch machine approaches the end oi its stroke in either direction, and means controlled by said contactors for supplying said impulse to said indication mechanism.

10. In railway traffic controlling apparatus comprising a railway switch, a switch machine having normal and reverse extreme positions for moving said switch between its normal and reverse positions, a normal and a reverse contactor; a lever movable between a normal, a normal indication, a reverse indication and a reverse position; means for energizing said normal contactor when said lever is moved to its normal indication position and said switch occupies any position but its normal position, means for energizing said reverse contactor when said lever is moved to its reverse position and said switch occupies any position but its reverse position, means effective when said reverse contactor is energized for energizing said switch machine in the direction to move said switch to its reverse position, means effective when said normal contactor is energized for energizing said switch machine in the direction to move said switch to its normal position, and indication mechanism effective when deenergized to prevent movement of said lever past its indication positions, the combination with the aforementioned instrumentalities of a transformer having a primary and a secondary winding, a circuit for said primary winding including a contact controlled by said switch machine and closed near the end of the stroke of said switch machine to its normal extreme position, another circuit for said primary winding including a contact controlled by said switch machine and closed near the end of the stroke of said switch machine to its normal extreme position; a first circuit for said indication mechanism including the secondary winding of said transformer, a contact controlled by said switch machine and closed only in the normal extreme position of said switch machine and a front contact of said normal contactor; and a second circuit for said indication mechanism including the secondary winding of said transformer, a contact controlled by said switch machine and closed only in the reverse extreme position of said switch machine, and a front contact of said reverse contactor.

EARL M. ALLEN. HENRY S. YOUNG. 

